National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Guillermo Eleazar ordered on Friday, November 23 the removal of the Las Piñas Police chief together with 32 other officials of the Las Piñas City Police’s Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) after a robbery-extortion incident.

The decision stemmed after the operatives of the Southern Police District failed to arrest the four policemen involved in the crime in an entrapment operation but managed to nab a minor allegedly involved in the same. Other cases of robbery-extortion stemming from the arrest of drug suspects and other incidents have also been reported, prompting the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership to strengthen its internal cleansing program.

However, Eleazar noted that he has designated Sr. Supt Simnar Gran, chief of the NCRPO’s Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division to replace the Las Pinñas chief which will be effective on Friday.